One Winter's Night Read online

  Parting her lips in welcome, she tilted her head and accepted him in, coaxing his tongue to hers with light eager strokes. Allie was aggressive in business, never afraid to speak her mind, and now he’d found that trait wasn’t limited to premiums and deductibles. As they tangled and kissed she smoothed her hands over his chest, across his hips and down his ass, squeezing and prodding with the determination of a woman who knew exactly what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to take it.

  And it was one helluva turn-on.

  Blood rushed south, making him dizzy. He gripped her waist to keep his bearings and she shuddered and groaned, driving the kiss deeper in response to the touch. Oh, you like it hard, don’t you? He doubted he’d survive it, at least not this first time around. She felt too good in his arms, had lived too long in his fantasies. If this ended up where he hoped it might, it would be enough not to make a fool of himself in his eagerness to satisfy the year-long yearning.

  In one long, smooth stroke, she trailed her fingers up his spine, sending a spray of sparks through his pores, and setting his mind on a quest to move this party somewhere private. He ached to touch those firm breasts in the flesh, slip his hands between her bare thighs and use his tongue in places that would pull her apart.

  Dragging his mouth from hers, he nipped at her chin and whispered, “I want more than a kiss.”

  “Lots more,” she agreed. Grabbing hold of his tie, she tugged him closer and whispered in his ear, “How far away is your apartment?” Then she brushed her waist against his erection, as if he needed the extra help.

  “Too far.” He took her hand and led her toward the elevators. “But I know a place that’s close.”

  ALLIE HAD NO IDEA WHERE Nick was taking her, nor did she care. As long as it was private, she wasn’t picky about the accommodations. Besides, there’d been dozens of places in this building where she’d fantasized about having her way with Nick Castle. The file room in Operations, the Skydeck, the women’s restroom, the electrical closet; she’d left a mental imprint of her and Nick in just about every room with a door—and several without. And now she was about to play out that fantasy in the flesh.

  Was this really happening?

  She’d asked Nick to kiss her and he didn’t hesitate. Apparently, he was as willing to put the past behind them as she. But for what? Was this a one-time thing? Was she only another conquest? Not only had Nick snagged his share of bombshells—and she’d heard there’d been a few—but with her he could also claim victory in the ultimate challenge: bedding the woman who’d hated him. Wouldn’t that be a story for the guys at the bar? And as she and Nick stepped out of the elevator and into Stryker’s corporate offices, she wondered how she’d feel when word of this got around.

  Then Nick eyed her with those beautiful sizzling blues and the hungry look on his face swiped her mind of everything other than that bone-melting kiss and the need for much more. Her body was on fire. Lust poured through her veins. She’d wanted this for so long, she wasn’t about to deny herself the pleasure over fears of what would come on Monday. So, shoving any reservations away, she went with him down the hall and into one of Stryker’s executive offices.

  “Is it okay to be here?” she asked, looking around the large room that had once been the office of Darnell Paige, an executive who’d recently taken a job in New York.

  Nick closed the door and turned the lock. “Until they replace Darnell, I consider this vacant space.” Tugging her into his arms, he noted the expression on her face. “Relax. I come here and read all the time. It’s a dead zone during office hours. There definitely won’t be anyone around here tonight.”

  He kissed her on the lips and added, “Besides, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about you and me in this room.” He kissed her chin. “On that desk.” He kissed her neck. “On the couch.” He kissed lower and nudged her back two steps. “Up against this wall.” Her back met the smooth surface of the dark mahogany paneling, and she melted against it. “In my dreams, I’ve taken you every possible way in this room.”

  He’d fantasized about her?

  Clasping her waist, he moved his lips close to her ear. “Can I show you some of the things I’ve imagined?”

  He circled his thumbs around her taut nipples and a spray of heat swept through her. “Ohhhh, yes.”

  He devoured her again, just like he’d done in the hallway, as his fingers went to work unbuttoning her blouse. Bit by bit, the fabric loosened and he pressed his mouth to the sensitive flesh he revealed. Every sultry kiss sizzled, stealing her breath and fluttering her pulse until the blouse fell from her shoulders and pooled at her feet.

  He cupped her breasts and groaned. “So many times in my thoughts I’ve held these in my hands, but they were never as beautiful as this.”

  His voice was rough and sexy, and when he bent down and gently bit through the lace of her bra, she gasped with delight.

  “You like it rough, don’t you, babe?”

  “I like it all.”

  He licked a circle between her breasts then bit the other nipple. “Me, too. Sometimes gentle? Sometimes hard?”

  “Yes,” she hissed.

  With quick hands he discarded her bra then he devoured her breasts with the same hungry greed as he’d devoured her mouth. Pain and pleasure mixed as he alternately nipped, kissed and sucked, and she laced her fingers through his dark hair, grasping the nape of his neck and prodding him to do more. Her knees weakened. The cool air felt tight against her hot skin, and the low sound of his pleasured moans swept her toward frenzy.

  “I’ve had fantasies about you, too,” she confessed.

  “Really.” He lowered to his knees and kissed her navel. “And what did I do in your fantasy?”

  Lifting her skirt, he pressed his mouth directly between her legs.

  “That,” she said through a low, guttural moan.

  He found the clasp to her skirt and sent it cascading down her legs, leaving her naked of all but her green satin thong and glittery gold heels. She scraped her fingernails against the smooth wall and swallowed hard. Never before had she been so hungry for a man, so thirsty for his touch, and when he pressed his lips high on her thigh she nearly crumbled. If he dared touch her sweet spot she’d be over the edge.

  Not wanting to come so soon, she steeled herself against the sensation.

  “I have another fantasy where I’ve got you in my mouth,” she said.

  He stopped kissing her and coughed. “That’s a good fantasy.”

  “It would make a better reality.”

  “Remind me to get to that later.”

  Tucking his fingers in the elastic, he pulled her thong down her thighs and to the floor and her body went on high alert.

  “Really,” she uttered. “Let’s move to the couch so you can get in on this, too.”

  “I’m in deep already, babe.” Then with the determination she should have expected of Nick, he slid close and went straight for her clit.

  White heat shot through her when his tongue swept between her folds. Involuntarily, her hips jerked and she let out a high squeak. “You’ll make me come,” she warned.

  “That’s where I’m going with this.”

  “But—ohhhh.”

  He grasped her thighs and suckled her nub, and with a surge of pure ecstasy, she lost the desire to argue. It felt too good and she’d been thrust too far. Parting her legs, she let him have her. Oh, the man had talent, using just the right amount of pressure in just the right place to draw out those last succulent moments. And just when she neared the peak, he slipped a finger inside and stroked her G-spot, sending her crashing with a force that nearly brought her to her knees.

  She tightened her fingers in his hair and held on tight, biting her lips to muffle her cries as the orgasm took control. Through the fog, she heard him groan with indulgence as her pleasure fed his, her release spiking his need and feeding his own satisfaction. It was a sound that warmed her heart as much as it simmered her blood, and before her own
climax even subsided, she ached to have him fill her.

  Nick rose and took her in his arms, his blue eyes now darkened to midnight, colored with heat and affection and a need she knew rivaled her own. The orgasm was amazing, but more than that, she wanted to connect with this man who’d been stirring her blood since she’d met him.

  A smile immediately curved his lips and he wasted no time in picking her up and depositing her on the large executive desk.

  “I liked that fantasy you mentioned, but I had another of my own I’d like to get to first.”

  She eyed the bulge behind his zipper and asked, “Does it involve this desk?”

  His smile turned delightfully sinister. “You’ve got it, babe.”

  5

  NICK STOOD OVER ALLIE, sheathed and hard and ready to slide into her hot, soft core when the simple sight of her gave him pause. The woman was exquisite, lying there naked and vulnerable with her cheeks flushed and lips plump from kissing.

  He’d ached for this moment—for this sight—from the very first time she’d walked into Stryker’s offices and turned his head. And now after everything they’d been through, he finally had her here in his arms, exposed and willing to take him in the most intimate way. It was nearly too much to handle.

  Grasping her hips, he positioned himself and slid in, a glorious liquid heat pouring over him as her velvet core encased him. He groaned and nearly lost his footing as the sensation swept through, the heady combination of physical pleasure and raw emotion that spoke to him deeply and colored his vision.

  In his fantasies, this encounter on the desk had been a fun, casual romp. But with new revelations flooding him, he only wanted to close his mouth over hers and claim her with a connection that would brand her his forever.

  He moved slowly, wanting to make it last though he knew his body wouldn’t. Just looking at her—her eyelids heavy over those big brown eyes, her lips slightly parted and her body exposed and open for him—nearly pushed him to the edge. He bent down and kissed her, gently brushing the tip of her tongue with his as he began to stroke and thrust. Her gentle gasp caught his attention and he repeated the motion that caused it, sinking deeper and shortening his strokes so that the base of his shaft massaged her succulent folds.

  The pressure built. He watched her breath go heavy and her eyes glaze. It was a beautiful sight, the pleasured glow of a woman near climax. He wanted to see it again and again.

  “It’s close,” she warned with a roughness in her voice that was sexy as hell.

  Propping her legs high over his arms, he dove in and pumped harder, thrusting and rocking, stroking her deep and hard until their bodies glistened and their breathing choked. And when her fervent cry pushed him over, he dropped her legs and pulled her close, clutching her in his arms as he lost himself inside her.

  It seemed to go on forever, pulse after pulse strangling his throat and constricting his muscles until he finally collapsed in a sweaty, naked bliss. And with his face buried in the crook of her neck, he said in a muffled voice, “That was the best orgasm I’ve ever had.”

  She giggled. “I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.”

  He pulled up and looked her square in the eye. “No. I don’t.”

  Her playful expression sobered and she swallowed. “Well, you’re pretty good at it yourself.”

  He could tell by the look on her face that he’d been more than pretty good. She felt what he felt only she was trying to keep the mood light. So he took her lead by hovering over her and casually raising a brow. “I have a few more fantasies, you know. You aren’t in a hurry to get back to the party, are you?”

  She smiled. “Party? What party?”

  ALLIE BUTTONED HER BLOUSE while still giddy and glowing over the most amazing sexual encounter she’d ever experienced. Across the room, Nick was standing near the desk surveying the area with one hand on his hip.

  “I seem to have lost my tie,” he said.

  She searched until she spotted a small swatch of green and red silk peeking out from one of the couch cushions. Snagging it, she held it up and twirled it in her hand. “This tie?”

  His eyes met hers and they both grinned as they recalled how the tie ended up stuck in the couch.

  “How could I forget?” He flashed her that sexy smoldering look of his that had a tendency to send off butterflies in her stomach.

  She stepped to him and snaked the tie around his collar then went to work constructing a half Windsor. And as she did, a strange wave of familiarity washed over her. Clear as day, she could see herself in this same position decades from now, having tied thousands of ties for this man during the life they’d shared together. The eeriness of it gave her pause, but she quickly blinked and brushed it off. It was nothing but silly sentimental thinking—and dangerous given the circumstances, she told herself.

  She’d propositioned Nick downstairs and ended up with a sexual tryst that had rivaled no other. But nowhere in this evening had either of them talked about intentions, futures and expectations. For all she knew, this was nothing but a one-night stand, and if it was, she had no right to be disappointed. That was what a woman got when she let lust take over before thinking things through.

  But if you had your way…

  The knot secured, she patted his chest, stepped back and walked across the room. Though she had no idea where this would go after they left this room, at the very least she wanted to clear the air so she could finally get rid of the year-long guilt she’d been harboring.

  “Nick, about Halpin Technologies,” she said. “I owe you an explanation and an apology.”

  “No, you don’t, Allie.”

  “Yes, I do. Please.” She wrapped her arms around her waist, suddenly uncomfortable for the first time since they’d kissed in the hall. She’d always kept her private life private, particularly at the office, but Nick deserved to hear this from her so he would stop apologizing for something that wasn’t entirely his fault.

  So she steeled herself and went on. “I moved to Chicago as a fresh start after spending three years in an abusive relationship.” Noting the look on his face, she held up a hand. “It wasn’t physically abusive, but emotionally it left scars. My ex was a narcissist who had somehow managed to take control of my life. He’d isolated me from my friends and family and somehow got me to believe I was incapable of surviving without him telling me what to do.” She huffed, embarrassed to hear herself say the words. This wasn’t something she talked about often, if ever. “You always believe it’s the weak women who fall into those traps, but the truth is it can happen to anyone.”

  His voice was gentle and sympathetic. “I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t be. I learned lessons and have come out a better person for it. But you have to understand that when I started here I was very headstrong and intent to prove myself capable.”

  Nick’s shoulders sagged as realization kicked in. “And I waltzed in and bulldozed over you.”

  It wasn’t how she would have put it, but she couldn’t argue. “I wasn’t open to criticism the way I might be if the same thing had happened today.”

  He placed a hand over his forehead and sighed. “God, I’m such an idiot.”

  “No.” She crossed the room and stepped close. “Nick, you were right about Halpin. I really was doing it all wrong. If you’d left it alone, the whole thing would have blown up in my face.”

  “It wasn’t my place.”

  “You were trying to help, but you’d hit a hot button with me and I grossly overreacted.” She touched a hand to his cheek. “Please, stop blaming yourself.”

  He studied her for a long beat then cupped her face in his hands. And when he spoke, his voice was low and filled with regret. “I wasn’t trying to help, Allie. I was trying to impress you.” Remorse colored his expression as he took her hand in his. “When you walked in that first day, I thought you were the prettiest woman I’d ever seen. Then I got to know you and realized you were also smart as a whip. I was half
-crazy in love with you within a week.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “If you’d been anyone else,” he went on, “I might have just asked you out, but you weren’t. You were special. And before I made my move, I wanted you to think I was the greatest thing since video games.” He shook his head. “I went overboard. And when you brushed me off, I went to Stryker not to rat you out or take the account away. I thought maybe if I couldn’t convince you I was worthy, he could.”

  “Worthy. Worthy of what? A date?”

  He raised her fingers to his mouth and kissed them. “From that first day, Allie, I’ve wanted more than a date. I’ve wanted it all. You and me, the white picket fence, two-point-seven kids and a dog named Buddy.”

  Her jaw dropped.

  “I’m crazy about you, Allie. I think I always have been. But in my eagerness I came on too strong and only pushed you away.”

  She stood there stunned, not entirely certain she’d heard everything correctly. Crazy about her? White picket fences? Her heart raced as reality sank in. So much for wanting more than just a one-night stand. Nick was offering her forever.

  As she absorbed the situation, she admitted, “I wouldn’t have been ready for this a year ago.”

  “What about now?”

  A swirl of thoughts and emotions circled as the pieces of this past year snapped together. All her anger and animosity, the stabbing remarks and hurt feelings. It had started out as bitterness over what he’d done, but if she really allowed herself to acknowledge her true feelings, she knew somewhere along the line that anger became the end product of unrequited love.

  Once she’d really gotten to know Nick Castle, she’d grown crazy for him, too. But by then the damage had been done. They’d entered a war that had no winners. Until now.

  A smile formed in her heart and spread across her face. “Now I think I could handle that just fine.”